Contrast Sensitivity on 1/f Noise Is More Greatly Impacted by Older Age for the Fovea Than Parafovea

Abstract

SIGNIFICANCE Contrast sensitivity changes across the visual field with age and is often measured clinically with various forms of perimetry on plain backgrounds. In daily life, the visual scene is more complicated, and therefore, the standard clinical measures of contrast sensitivity may not predict a patient's visual experience in more natural environments. PURPOSE This study aims to determine whether contrast thresholds in older adults are different from younger adults when measured on a 1/f noise background (a nonuniform background whose spatial frequency content is similar to those present in the natural vision environments). METHODS Twenty younger (age range, 20 to 35 years) and 20 olde..